Don Valley Visits Belgium!

70 Y11,10 and 9 students and staff visited the battlefields of France and Belgium on our first international trip since COVID 19. Students had a brilliant time visiting sights like Lochnagar Crater, Thiepval memorial and Tyne Cot Cemetery, rounded off with a relaxing cup of tea at Talbot House, a place for everyman.

The 3 day trip was an eye opening experience for all students who bore witness to the scale of loss during WW1, this really helped with our GCSE work when we visited a Casualty clearing station, trench and which enabled students to see, touch and feel the cramped dangerous conditions of war.

A few of our students had the opportunity to visit fallen relatives graves and memorials while in Ypres.

We are so proud of Chloe (Y11) and Freya (Y11)  who represented the academy at the Menin Gate ceremony in front of hundreds as they laid a wreath. This was such a huge success for DVA but would not have been possible without Mrs Lodge (Teacher of History) Miss Sockett (Teacher of History) Me Hardman (Teacher of MFL) Mr Winyard (Teacher of Geography) Miss Richardson (Teacher of Geography) and Miss Lay (Head of History) giving up their half term and being such a huge support during the 3 day trip.